The Orphan

Decisions can often be difficult, especially adult ones and sometimes the right ones are the hardest to make. Moreover making decisions that directly effect another pony are the hardest, and that's exactly what Coco Creme was having to do. Her decision would change her life and the life of her foal, for whom she was unable to provide.  The silhouette of the mare roamed purposefully through the dark and deserted street. Held in her teeth was small satchel, that wiggled and mewled.  Soothing the bundle inside, with a soft shushing, she moved silently through Canterlot, not wanting to call attention to herself. She wore a dark cape and hood, her dark eyes always watching.

   Her goal was to leave her tiny foal at the orphanage. To give her foal a chance, a life better than the one she could provide. It was the hardest thing she'd probably ever have to do, but it had to be done. Her husband had been adamant about the removal of the foal from their lives one way or another, despite Coco's best attempts to sooth her aggressive mate.

  A tear fell from her cheek as she found the steps of the orphanage. Her time was running out.  Gingerly she placed the little package on the top step, in front of the door, and let the fabric fall around her foal revealing a very young filly. Crouching beside the little one, Coco nuzzled her baby, the pain evident in her eyes.

  The little earth filly struggled, flailing her tiny hooves, opening her mouth to whine.

"Shh, little one. It's okay. Mommy will always love you, and you'll never be forgotten." Coco murmured to her child. Kissing her little nose and wrapping the cloth around her to keep her from catching cold. All that was visible of the tiny pony was her golden buckskin coat. Under the wrap her hooves had dark chocolate socks. Her tiny mane was a dark chocolate. If anything she resembled a Saddle Arabian more than any pony here.  With one last tender kiss, Coco gave her daughter the last thing she could ever give her. She pulled from her cape a letter that she had written, and it contained her name... That was the last she could do for her and as much as it killed her inside, she had to turn away.

"Goodbye sweetie... Mommy will miss you, so much... I'm so sorry." She whispered to the little bundle, trying to spend every last second she had, to let her filly know just how much she meant to her. After another shower of kisses, and multiple farewells, she stood giving the door three loud raps, she walked down the stairs quickly, but her eyes never leaving her daughter as she hid in the bushes nearby enough to see a  mare open the orphanage door. Coco watched as the mare saw the bundle, picking her up with magic and moving her inside. The door closed with a soft click. It was done, and Coco felt like the world had just crumbled under her hooves. Saying goodbye was the right thing to do, no matter how much she'd regret it, the protection of her child was more important than watching her grow. She knew this and had relinquished her parental rights.

  She had one thing to be proud of, her daughter would have a gorgeous name, and the chance to have a much better life. And perhaps, just maybe she'd see her daughter grow up from afar.  With her daughter now in the safe hands of the orphanage, she slowly returned home to her expecting husband.

  It was a tragic turn of events which unfolded as she came home, putting her coat on a hanger and calling out to her husband. As she went searching for him, for some measure of comfort a shadow of a figure towering over her caused her to turn. The scream barely left her mouth, before her world was plunged into painful darkness, and then moments later. Nothing.

Her wish to be able to watch her beautiful child grow while never actually being there for her, was cut horribly short by the cruel intentions of one pony who didn't care what consequences their actions brought.  These same actions would have also been the defenseless little filly's ultimate demise if Coco hadn't made the hardest decisions she'd ever had to make...

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The mare who owned the orphanage looked down at the tiny little filly being held in her magic. It wasn't uncommon for mares and stallions to leave unwanted foals, or ones who were not cared for to the best of the parents abilities, so Matron Mare always welcomed fillies and colts into her home with open hooves.

  Unwrapping the little filly, she saw just how beautiful the child would become with age. Her coat was golden, her hooves covered in dark fur socks. Her mane while not much there yet, was also a dark brown. It was then the filly opened her eyes, to examine the world around her.

Matron Mare cooed in surprise, the filly's eyes were a tawny gold.

  The filly giggled up at the larger mare, wiggling in the magic happily, and unintentionally pushed the letter out, which fell towards the floor.

Matron saw it, and caught it before it touched the ground and brought it up, looking at the stunning filly. Taking care to open the letter she unwrapped it, and read.

I'm so sorry for leaving my child.  My situation doesn't allow me to take care of her myself.  All I wish for her is to have a happy and healthy life.

Please save the letter enclosed for when she's older.  I want her to have something from her mother.  Even if I wasn't able to raise her myself, she has to know how much she meant to me.  She was by no means unwanted.

Her name is Maple Syrup, and I hope she'll be in good hooves, and adopted soon.

Thank you,

Coco Creme.

She sighed, it was common for ponies to find themselves either impoverished, downtrodden or too swamped to care for a foal, and she supposed every time a foal came to her, it was just another decision those parents felt was the right decision. It couldn't be easy she often thought. It was however the best chance for some of these young ones. Having never had children of her own, Matron Mare never felt a twinge of regret, she had a huge family and those under her care were loved and more than provided for, and now with a new addition that family grew.

  All new foals were always under her watchful eye until they were old enough to be in the filly's or colt's room. Maple in this case being almost newborn would stay in her room. A cradle sat at the foot of Matron's bed, for just such an occasion.  Gently placing the new filly, Matron went to go make her some milk since she didn't know when she was last fed. Worst case, she'd save it for later.

When Matron Mare returned from the kitchen, she held a warm bottle full of rich milk. It certainly wasn't mothers milk, but it would have to do.

  Coxing Maple to feed was a challenge in itself, whom found it rather amusing and managed to spill milk all over herself and Matron. Clicking her tongue in mild irritation she put the bottle aside and cleaned herself and the foal off.

"Now that's no way to eat, Maple." Matron chided. Not expecting Maple to know what she was saying, she offered the milk to Maple once more, in hopes she'd feed. This time, she did and soon had fallen asleep suckling.

  Once she was certain the foal was asleep, she placed her in the crib and returned to her own bed. It was past midnight surely, shut eye was a commodity in her home and she had been surprised none of her other charges had woken up from nightmare; wanting water or from the knock at the door. The new addition would be certainly welcomed in the morning, but for now Matron enjoyed the silence and hoped in the next week, a couple of the children would be adopted. Perhaps even Maple, she didn't doubt she wouldn't find a good home at least soon. Young foals were the most desirable, being more adaptable. She'd try not to get too attached.